May 11, 2009

So, the show in Santa Cruz has been canceled. Turns out Cafe Pergolesi was into aiding the federales in the AETA cases. Lameski. None of the bands involved thought it was good and right to play at that venue given those circumstances. Instead, we have lined up the following show in Fresno, CA:

"Patriotic Shock" used to be on heavy rotation in my bedroom in 8th grade and I can't say I'm anything less than very over-the-top excited to be playing a show with them. Don't think they'll give two shits about our little bands invading their show, but I'll be up front railing against Nazis nonetheless.

Also playing this show, so don't forget:

Friday May 15 @ The Che Cafe in San Diego

w/ Lewd Acts and Graf Orlock (record release!)

We are halfway done with recording. "Under the Affluence" sounds pretty good. "God vs. Godmother" is coming along. Still need to get the intro to "Bottom of the 9th Ward" down. I've made some crappy video footage of the shenanigans and might post that stuff soon.

Reno was radsick. Thank you very much to Megan, Roxy, and Suzie. And DCOI. No thanks to the snow.

i'm going to see like a crazy obsessed fan, but last night was seriously amazing. i wish i could write like you do, and every single thing you said i'm so passionate about, especially gay marriage. ever since i was in eighth grade, it's been a huge issue for me. i went to a christian school and they constantly bashed on homosexuals and i was the only one who ever stood up and asked why and i was constantly ridiculed and almost expelled for my "behavior." i watched one of my best friends life fall apart because he couldn't tell his mom he was gay for fear of being expelled. i thank you so much for being who you are and i thank everyone else in dangers for being a band. i probably sound so lame and cheesy but really, all of you guys inspire me so much.

Even though the AETA4 don't deserve any punishment for protesting (unless they prove they attacked a dad in his home, in which case their victim of free speech argument is destroyed), do you feel that actively supporting what the AETA4 was doing is beneficial for getting vegan rights put through? Regardless of them doing perfectly legal things, protesting outside of someone's home and passing out flyers with people's names and numbers on them are what psycho anti-abortionists due to doctors. It seems like they only painted a negative light on people who are vegan - created negative public opinion against people who can't respect human decency, which in turn makes convincing people that livestock production is even harder.

Again, this has nothing to do with wishing that people get put in jail for bogus charges. But do you feel that vegan activism such as this and animal liberation achieve anything concrete, even though it creates government persecution and no real fundamental changes (such as having the institution of animal testing/production become looked down upon by the majority of Americans)?

I ask because, as someone who is vegan, I am really disheartened by people who feel so just and righteous doing things that I only feel is destroying something that I believe in as well as ruining it for others.

To expand a bit on what I mean, apply the ways that a lot of vegan activists and protesters do things in how people who work at rape crisis centers go about things. Since I've been a volunteer at a rape crisis center for almost two years, I feel that I can accurately talk about this. Working to prevent rape and animal rights I feel are on the same level - many people think they're inevitable, apathetic about any kind of major resolution to having it removed from society, and some even argue that it's bound to happen for pointless reasons such as it's a part of "human instinct." If people who volunteer at a rape crisis center were outside people convicted of rape protesting, or passing around flyers that had info on these rapists saying "We know where you live" the credibility and goals of what they were trying to accomplish would be moot. People would think poorly of the people involved; it would be counter-productive and hurtful of the goals of being able to stop rape. Instead of inspiring and motivating people who were on the fence about the issue, it would create resentment - not necessarily towards the cause itself, but towards the people working for it. "Oh, there are those crazy rape activists." And if you're the only major voice, or at least the only visible major voice, of a cause then people by default are going to oppose you based on your actions.

Now, do I feel that how I go about preventing rape are making big leaps? No. I worked a booth at a large public event in a park for five hours this Saturday. Three people talked to me. Most looked at me with a disgusted look, as if trying to talk about rape in a public setting was a bad thing to be covered up. But do I feel that being there in an honest, presentable way was more productive than if I stood outside a house protesting? Yes. If only because I didn't give anyone a reason to hate me for what I was doing. Ultimately the goals of both rape prevention and animal rights is to get a widespread understanding and acceptance of the issue to the general public, and to have that understanding lead to helping take down the oppression that exists, however indifferent or against it they are.

Being able to present and sell what you want is important to what you want to achieve. When most African-Americans protested against Jim Crow laws in the 60's they got dressed up in the nicest clothes, never fought back and did nothing to aggravate the people against them or to give people a reason to hate them. They wanted people who didn't have a strong opinion on the issue to see the cops beating them in a public setting and think "That could be my son or daughter getting treated that way." But when you present what you want to do in an aggressive, oppositional way it only creates adversity to your cause. There was a study that was told to me by a sociologist that when people were shown anti-war protests after 9-11 that were held by activists today, that were very much like the AETA4 in appearance and actions, while the people that knew their side (either for or against) felt like watching the protests solidified their opinion, the people who were undecided were persuaded to be AGAINST the protesters. Does making a compromise in who you are in both appearance and action suck? Yes. It doesn't deserve to happen, and you should never be forced to compromise who you are. But what is more important - not making a compromise about yourself to prove the point that you don't change in the face of adversity, or making that compromise as a sacrifice to better push and work for your agenda that you feel so strongly about? Because being a radical activist who rejects everything they're against and getting widespread acceptance of a radical issue are, as far as I can see, NOT mutual. You have to make a choice in either what you believe in or who you want to be. Which leads me back to what I was saying - do you feel like the AETA 4 deserve to be supported for what they did as vegan activists? Do you feel that a positive look at veganism in the community at large was created for what they did? Do you think that animal liberation and activist protesting create any LONGTERM achievements that work towards getting a widespread actualization of what vegans wish to see in the world instead of small, instant-gratification gains? Do the gains created from animal liberation and radical activism ultimately take down the institutions that support livestock production and animal testing even though they create persecution such as the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act? The key word is ultimately - isolated incidents don't really speak of the whole.

I ask not because I'm trying to prove a point that what people do is wrong and to say "I told you so." But I do feel that while doing nothing is passive submission, doing something is NOT always a productive thing, and to strive and to adjust to make what people do is being the most productive in creating worthwhile achievements is a good thing. Essentially, criticism isn't always an attack. And all I want is to make something I believe in actually achieve things in my lifetime. I really would like to know your feelings on this issue, Al, because I feel that how vegans go about this will determine the outcomes of the successes that vegan activism creates.

Thank you for, in your own way, choosing not to patronize Santa Cruz's Caffe Pergolesi.

Without responding in much detail or getting into a debate on this forum over the innocence or guilt of the AETA4, aiding federal agents or police on a witch-hunt is never acceptable. We encourage everyone to take the simple, principled stand as well and boycott Caffe Pergolesi.

Hey I never got the chance in seeing you guys play yet but I really like your music. Would you do me the favor in linking me because I would like to link you. I have been talking about you guys with my friends from the hardcore scene in Peru :] trying to spark some interest